To think smoking in the workplace and during working hours should be banned?

[Floogal]

Am I alone in thinking that smoking in the workplace and during work time should be outlawed totally in the UK?

1. The health aspect. People may be smoking outside but it still seeps in and we're still inhaling it.
2. The fact smokers get extra breaks. (Beautifully illustrated by that episode of Family Guy).
3. The social and professional cliques that smokers seem to form. Worse when managers or supervisors smoke (beautifully illustrated by that episode of Friends)
4. Doesn't look good on the company if employees are smoking outside. Looks very bad on NHS or council etc when their staff are doing it

[quote amsadandconfused]@WorraLiberty..such a silly comment! I personally would really not care about the BMI of a person looking after me as long as they are kind and caring![/quote]
Well nor would I of course

But that was the exact point I was making in reply to...

You want to outlaw something because it makes a company look bad?

Nicotine addicts having a quick fix out of the way of others shouldn't make a blind bit of difference to how a company 'looks', as long as they perform well.

I vape. Don't smell and don't get extra breaks

I don't smoke, but you are being ridiculous. In the country I live in people are entitled to morning and afternoon tea breaks, and that is when most of them smoke. They normally do it somewhere out of the public eye, and if smoke is seeping into your workplace the building standard must be pretty shoddy!

second hand smoke makes my eyes run, and my nose blocked, and I gag and choke. mumsnet is so dramatic 😂 if it's not shaking and crying it's gagging and choking!

@JSL52

And they stink when they come back in.

We have a smoker who complains if someone applies aerosol deodorant outside before coming in but comes in reeking of smoke after a break themselves. I know which I prefer!

You sound jealous of the extra breaks and that's it tbh

I work night shifts out in the sticks, no one will see.

@CouncilHousedAndViolentBaby

You sound jealous of the extra breaks and that's it tbh

Considering OP also thinks people shouldn't get hot drinks unless they make everyone one, I doubt the her accuracy on "extra breaks".

I’d happily ban smoking all together.

But since that isn’t the case, it’s up to employers to determine their own break policy. And their own smoking policy (eg can you smoke on the site). Banning it inside workplaces was for the health of others. People getting extra breaks due to smoking isn’t a health issue, it’s one for individual companies/managers to deal with if it becomes a problem, for example if people start really taking the piss with it, or if other employees become annoyed with the unfairness.

I wish hairdressers/beauticians/nail techs couldn't smoke on their breaks. I hate it when I have someone smelling of smoke in such close proximity to me. It turns a treatment that should be a pleasure into an ordeal to be endured.

I think hairdressers et al work ridiculously hard in a semi physical job where they are on their feet all the time. If they smoke on their break, leave them be. You don't have to have your nails or hair done if it offends you. Do it yourself.

I don't smoke and I'm not a hairdresser or anything like it.

I worked in a nursing home,smokers were allowed to smoke in our kitchen/rest room. At that point,the law said none smokers had to be given their own room.regardless of the fact it was law,the matron refused,saying we were in a minority. In fact,it was exactly 50/50. A lot went outside hourly as well. I remember the smokers being up in arms when it was banned inside. Then I went back to a hospital,staff,and patients smoking right by the main entrance. Then when that was stopped,staff walked all the way down the back drive. You weren't actually allowed to leave the ward. We didn't Trot off anywhere for an extra cuppa. Also hate to see staff outside front of the big main supermarkets smoking,they aren't meant to (DD smoker,was a manager of one till a couple of weeks ago)

@JSL52

And they stink when they come back in.

I was just going to write exactly that.

In a restaurant recently, we were served by a waitress who'd just been out on a cigarette break. She stank of smoke and it put me off my food. It was a bloody expensive restaurant too!

My mother is a chain smoker and it's the same when she gets in my car after a ciggie.

I know it's an addiction though and their personal right, so feel uncomfortable about bans in workplaces.

What an odd thread, you actually sound envious, they get breaks and make friends.

As long as they get their work done, who gives a crap

3. Every single person where I work smokes. It's not a problem.

That is very unusual these days. No-one smokes in my immediate team, and we have just one person in our department who vapes, often during Teams meetings (which IMO is a bit off)

Employers should have policies for staff regarding smoking in the workplace.

My employer does. It comes off your lunch break where I work.

My employer doesn't allow people to take additional breaks to smoke, but then the more senior you get anywhere the less you're monitored and you don't still have set breaks.

I'm not a smoker but the only smokers who bother me are people who wear uniforms and work with healthcare, food, etc and are smoking in their uniforms, or people who stand in public places smoking rather than moving away from doorways or crowded spaces.

@JSL52

And they stink when they come back in.

This!!!

I work in social care and have to visit the base every few weeks. I swear the same few staff are always out their smoking when I get there and when I leave. Every single time!!

I've never noticed excessive breaks, in every job there was 4 breaks throughout the day, 2 x 10 minutes and half hour lunch.

You want to outlaw something because it makes a company look bad?

Once you discriminate against one group where would it stop? After the smoker was banned they'd start on staff suffering obesity, next age and good looks.

They should completely ban smoking if necessary force people into withdrawal, not treat them like a leaper while creaming in the tax.
Smoking is a serious addiction.

Yes, but only if visibly eating unhealthy food, eating outside of designated mealtimes, and being visibly obese is made a sackable offense for the sake of the company's dignity and the purity of our society.

See how silly this sounds?

Smokers shouldn’t get extra breaks. Aside from that if they’re not in the workplace it’s their choice.

This is hilarious. Are you an ex smoker or an old fart whose completely against smoking and smokers?

Break times where I work we get a 15 minute break per shift if we work 5 or 6 hours and a 20 minute break for a 7 hour shift and half an hours break for 8 hours or more. We don’t get smoke breaks but working in Argos Sainsburys climbing ladders lifting large appliances and objects on our feet all day getting abuse from some customers we need smoke breaks and the 20 minute break I get I have to walk to back of building where no customers can see us in a designated area by the time I get there have a very quick cigarette and walk back that’s my break over no time for a drink or toilet break but that’s a smokers choice. I always spray myself down and hand sanitize my hands so they don’t smell and chew some gum or suck a mint to take smell away.

Obviously it’s down to the employers what breaks and times they allow and I’m sure even being a non smoker if you wanted to go outside for some fresh air or make a cup of coffee or drink of pop then im sure if they’re letting smokers have smoke breaks you can have a tea break? Well within reason for each employee no taking the pee and taking a half hour smoke or coffee break lol. For other places where no designated smoke break and not somewhere in healthcare setting or restaurant and in non uniform let them have a smoke outside of work if your a customer you just chose yourself whether your going to go somewhere that may smell a little bit of cigarette smoke and as for inhaling other peoples nicotine if you were out shopping if you do your own shopping or get the bus and are at the bus stop do we just ban smoking full stop for smokers no smoking outside at all oh and in our own homes incase people who are working from home are smoking in work hours? Okay then but if we’re taking away smokers privliges then why not ban alcohol and stuff with sugar in or high fat foods too and put and ban on earning more than 20k a year and finding new jobs and incomes for all the companies and staff who will be out of a job by the end of all this?

Seems silly really if your not happy find another job or speak to HR or your boss for the unfair behaviour lol

Are you an ex smoker or an old fart whose completely against smoking and smokers?

Well that was completely unnecessary, offensive ageism wasn't it?

You actually find younger people are much less tolerant of smokers, anyway.

Personally I don't care if the company I work for looks bad because of something I do. I go there to earn money to live, why would I care if they 'look bad'? I think you will find most employees are there for the same reason (perhaps the very top tiers will feel differently) so that's not exactly a good reason to ban smoking.
The smell is unpleasant I agree, the smell of Bob who hasn't bothered to shower for three days is also unpleasant, also Barbara's Slimming World curry stinks the staff kitchen out every lunchtime so I'm assuming they would be banned to?
I have never worked anywhere where smokers have extra breaks, they usually have a shorter lunch break than non smokers so again doesn't affect anyone.
Sounds like OP has a bee in her bonnet about it for some reason however the arguments she has given are pretty shoddy.